Pecked nestlings

[monotwine]

Quick update though not good news.

Since I could not find the culprit after spending hours watching them I remembered someone on the forum using lipstick on the nest entrance to mark who goes in and out... so I did this and the only two are the parents. This after two days, so I have to assume one of them is the problem. I think its the male though as the hen I see go in often to feed (she is also the most brightly marked with the lipstick) the male not so often and I did not see him feed.

So over the weekend no-one was pecked and I thought my interventions of higher boxes etc had worked.
By Sat afternoon one chick was not being fed. I could see why. Its extensive head injury was not allowing it to beg properly, so I took it out and tried the soc's. They were not interested and I hand fed it. Everyone else in the nest was ok.

The handfed I euthanized the next day. He looked to have had a stroke actually, but it was probably just the head injury. One whole side was none functional and he kept falling over and onto his back. Anyhow poor critter is now in the big blue sky which was for the better.

I went to check the nest early this morning and one dead baby! The poor thing had been very very badly mutilated!!!! So upset. It seems who ever it is doing this is doing it late afternoon, but by roosting time late evening everything was fine.

Getting fed up with this. I will be taking "dad" out today. I may try move the remaining two (as yet unpecked) youngsters with their mum and put them in a cage alone, but that will be a last resort.

I am so going to breed them as individuals once I build my breeding cages.

[cindy]

Monique, sorry about the two little ones. I have just gone through this with at least three different sets of parents (all zebras) My Continential CFW plucked their only baby's tail out and one of his flanks, My penguins, the father pulled the baby's tail feathers out. The Florida fancy/silver the mother plucked the backs and heads bald while still in the nest and feeding them. They are the worst for doing this to the last two clutches, the first clutch was perfect. All individually cage bred.

It makes you crazy trying to figure this out, even with good foods on board!!!!!

[L in Ontario]

Sounds like you did the only humane thing possible by sending the wee one off to the Rainbow Bridge, as hard as that must be.

Best wishes for the remaining two, I'm sure they'll be fine with mom - they better be!

[monotwine]

Thanks you two. Cindy shame you have had it far worse with multiple cases. Yes it is very fustrating. To have great success with one pair and the other going pear shaped fast!

I wonder what specific protein is in feathers? Keratin. Could we not replace that craving with some substitute? http://www.livestrong.com/article/27079 ... ich-foods/
FOund this in my wondering, but don't know how applicable it is to finches.
I have the same problem with Quail. If they are not pecking the young doves feathers from the squawking source then they are pecking each others feathers out.
They too get a fantastic diet. Perhaps it lies with the vitamin balances?

[dfcauley]

I started sprinkling breeders blend on sprouts when my courdons and swees were plucking and that seems to really help. The extra protein goes a long way.....

[debbie276]

I wonder what specific protein is in feathers?

http://www.thewildclassroom.com/biodive ... umage.html
Bird feathers are amazingly complex. Each feather is made from the protein Keratin. While keratin also makes up snake and lizard scales, it is a slightly different compound in birds.

Feathers are almost pure protein with traces of minerals and fats. Pulling feathers if not for the protein could be for the trace minerals. Another thing they may be looking for is the salt, the living parts and the blood of feathers is rich in salt.

[monotwine]

Thank you both for your input. Never thought salt. Will add some salt at ground level for the quail and see what they do.

[annague]

Monique... that is very upsetting... poor little guys!

I will say this: I have moved my gouldians to individual cages (except the females) because I noticed that they are very dominant to the other birds in my aviary and will NOT be driven away from an occupied nesting site by a smaller bird (or even one the same size for that matter -- ) My PF's are very active and curious but they are NOT dominant to the gouldians which was surprising to me because PF's are plucky birds.

I would say that perhaps gouldians have a more tenacious and determined attitude about nesting -- whatever it takes -- than many other birds. (Which can be both good and bad but probably doesn't belong in an aviary setting if you want harmony!) Just my 2 cents.

I still love my gouldians, though!

[CandoAviary]

So sorry for this... frustrating for sure. It is hard to say who did it, Normally the parents will not do this themselves. They may toss due to the fact they mistake the hatched chick for an invader of the nest. Normally they will not damaged their babies once this far along. So I would guess it is possibly another male gouldian that is trying to steal the hen and nest from the father... a female gouldian that want's the nest, or possibly one of the other species that feels threatened by the goulds.
These happenings are quite common in community aviaries, hence the reason I cage breed them. I have had sucess with colony breeding and then I have had disaters.... no rhyme or reason to it....
yep, frustrating Hope your little chicks recover, Have you consider removing them and handfeeding? I am doing 8 as we speak

[monotwine]

Well for the last two days there has been peace (I remove the cock who is def not their "father" and another dominant hen that had paired up with him). The two nestlings left over have not been pecked, but they are very scared and scream their heads off when I look inside (NOT THAT I COULD BLAME THEM).

Candace I would handfeed as a last resort. I kill more than I save and think they actually have a better chance against an attacker than my handfeeding skills. If I ever visit your side of the world I'm coming for personal handfeeding lessons!

I'm looking at my set up rather critically and will see what inventions I can come up with for next breeding season. I'm going into winter and my off season for breeding, so it will give me some time to think about it and make the solutions.